Your Lack of Ethics
by Angelic Hellraiser
Summary: I inhale softly, unwittingly reminding myself of that pleasant scent. His scent. Would his skin taste the same? Wild, untamed, and brutal? -collection of drabbles : Kaito x Maria- (M warning on Ch.3)
1. A Beast Weeping

**T I T L E :** A Beast Weeping  
><strong><span>F A N D O M <span>:** Vampire Knight  
><strong><span>P A I R I N G <span>:** Kaito Takamiya / Maria Kurenai  
><strong><span>T I M E  S E T T I N G :** based after chapter 75  
><strong><span>A  N :** No, it's not canon, but I like it anyway. :p Also, I was just toying with this one-shot idea. It's very general. I didn't want too much interest from Kaito. I wanted him to be more of an observer that slowly acknowledges Maria as more than a beast in human form. He's still a bit in denial, though. ;)

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><p><strong>.: <em>A Beast Weeping<em> :.**

It's not like I'd expected it. There are many things in life that I'd been expecting, but this isn't one of them. _She _isn't one of them.

She's following him again, following like a little lovesick puppy. Her silvery eyes are two flickering orbs in the darkness. I'd not even thought to pay her any mind at first. She is one of them, a beast masquerading as one of us.

I don't know when my eyes started to find her of their own accord, when my thoughts would occasionally stray to her doll-like features and moon-colored hair. I would ignore it at first; I'd blame it on the boring scenery, or even my need to hunt her kind. That's why my eyes found her. Yes. I wanted to hunt her. That is what I am, a hunter.

She's talking to him again, her lilting voice humming her desires for him. I watch from a short distance, my arms folded over my chest and my dark eyes veiled by my mother's ash blonde hair. He remains silent, his expression masked and aloof. I can see the sadness behind the thin straight line of his lips and the remembrance of another face dancing in his eyes.

I shouldn't care. I don't care. Yeah. _I don't care._A vampire hunter shouldn't care for a beast's feelings. Beasts like her don't feel. And yet, I can see the awareness twist her expression into one of bitter pain. The dull sting of realization, realization that her feelings are not returned… that in his eyes, he sees another face.

She stands rooted, her hands balled into fists at her sides. He watches her for a moment, his words low and almost inaudible. "I'm sorry." He's walking away, his shoulders drooped in exhaustion.

She does not speak. Her skin is smooth porcelain by the moonlight and her eyes are the glint of a blade. _Alone._ If her kind don't feel, then what is that dripping shyly from her eyes now? _Saline sorrow._I bite my tongue. They are beasts… but somehow… the beast before me is weeping.

Suddenly, her head jerks in my direction. She hadn't known I was nearby. We stare at one another for an instant, moonlight slowly losing itself in the deep depths of emerald. _Can a beast truly weep like that?_Then, like the shattering clap of thunder, she breaks the spell and runs off into the shadows.

I exhale a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. The memory of pain in her watery eyes burns into my mind, scarring. _Can a beast truly weep like that?_ I violently push the thought away. I need to take a walk to clear my head. That's how this night started anyway…

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❤ i do hope you've enjoyed reading  
>❤ comments &amp; constructive critiquing are love<br>❤ kaito/maria is love, too X3  
>✘ flaming will be ignored<br>✘ any kind of character hate is prohibited  
>✘ <strong>DON'T STEAL MY WORK<strong>


	2. Glittering Black Mirrors

**T I T L E :** Glittering Black Mirrors  
><strong><span>F A N D O M <span>:** Vampire Knight  
><strong><span>P A I R I N G <span>:** Kaito Takamiya / Maria Kurenai  
><strong><span>T I M E  S E T T I N G :** based after chapter 75 and shortly after my piece, _A Beast Weeping_  
><strong><span>A  N :** I just had to delve deeper into this pairing. I really hope Hino considers giving Kaito a chance at Maria. We all know that Zero will always be hung on Yuuki (and the same goes for Yuuki). I don't want my Maria hurt. She's too cool to just be a plot device for Zeki.

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><p><strong>.: <em>Glittering Black Mirrors<em> :.**

The sun's rays are muted by a smooth blanket of misty clouds. I sniff the air, my parasol twirling absently above my head. Milky sunlight bathes the world in an almost dream-like haze. My fingertips tap at the handle. It could snow, but not until tonight. It's coming early this year.

Up ahead, my eyes spot a figure walking down the stone path. I tilt my head to the side and then a prickling heat gathers at my cheeks, slowly sinking into my stomach dragging my heart along with it. Ash-blonde hair. Rough worn clothing with a redeeming hint of elegant dress. Eyes the color of a deep emerald pool, reflective, too murky to see what lies within. The hunter that is Zero's friend. The one who'd seen my tears last night. _Kaito..._I swallow thickly and avert my eyes, my fingers tightening around the handle of my parasol.

Last night's episode passes over me like an unwanted shiver and I duck my head, letting my bangs shield my eyes. Deafening, his boots tap carefully against the stone. _A hunter approaching a vampire._ The wind carries his scent to me : leather, cedar, and mint. _Such a surprisingly pleasant combination._ I spare a shy glance up at him and I'm suddenly left breathless. No distaste in those near black eyes, no hate. Something else. _What is that?_ I tilt my head to the side, my lips parting slightly in curiosity. His brows knit in confusion and my heart skips a beat. _What is that in his eyes?_

Suddenly, his jaw tightens and he skewers me with a nasty glare, smoldering sage. Hot. Intimidating. Forced. My heart lodges in my throat and I suppress a gasp.

"You shouldn't be wandering the grounds _vampire_." His tone slices through the air as he passes by me.

I hadn't realized that I'd stopped walking. I abruptly drop my gaze, a blush coloring my cheeks. "I was just taking a walk."

"Zero isn't around." He deadpans, pausing to look over at an owl that sits idly in a nearby tree.

I ignore his brutish incentive to bare my fangs and I peer furtively at the owl._My Chika._The magnificent bird abruptly takes flight, her wings beating harshly at the wind, and she disappears into the outlying forest surrounding the academy.

"That your pet, _vampire_?"

I bristle and speak before I can stop myself. "This _vampire_ has a name, hunter, as I'm sure you do. And yes, that is **my friend**. She is no _pet_." My eyes widen at my words and he about-faces, his own eyes unreadable. Something else aside from hatred is there, but he won't let me see whatever it is. _Strange._ Shouldn't he snarl some acidic retort and tell me to go back to my dorm. _Why isn't he telling me to go back?_

Then, he covers the short distance between us and stops only a foot from me. My heart is a turbulent storm in my chest, howling against my ribs. I inhale softly, unwittingly reminding myself of that pleasant scent. _His scent. Would his skin taste the same? Wild, untamed, and brutal?_At the realization of where my thoughts were heading, I step back and lower my gaze. My cheeks are so warm, prickling with embarrassment.

"Your name is Maria Kurenai."

My head jerks up in surprise. "Yes... Ummm..."

He cuts me off. "Name or not, you are still a beast."

I feel my skin heating up, but no longer with embarrassment. "Isn't it funny that you should talk of us beasts as if you are above us. Isn't it due to vampire blood that you able to hunt us?"

He smirks. "I knew you had a sharp tongue... behind those doll-like lips of yours."

_Is he...? No..._ I blush. The way he's looking at me. It isn't how a vampire hunter would look at a vampire. Goosebumps blanket my arms and I take another step. He's too close. _Leather, cedar, mint..._I lick my lips. "How I speak with my tongue is none of your concern."

For a moment, he seems to get lost in thought. His eyes soon reflect more than just my reflection. I stare into them with a strange new hunger. _What is he thinking?_ I watch in rapt fascination as his brow crinkles and his lips press deliberately together. Then, he moves forward, eliminating all but just inches of distance between us. "Do I look like I abide to boundaries, _vampire_?"

I look up at him, my cheeks burning. "Is it wise for you to play this kind of game with a vampire?"

He cocks an eyebrow. "Is it wise for a vampire to invite such a game?"

_Leather, cedar, mint..._ My veins tingle with anticipation and I lean into his smell, savoring it. When I look up at him, his eyes are glittering black mirrors. I can only see my reflection again. Something about that upsets me. _Why?_ I scowl. "Vampires are the ones who taught hunters how to play such games."

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❤ i do hope you've enjoyed reading  
>❤ comments &amp; constructive critiquing are love<br>❤ kaito/maria is love, too X3  
>✘ flaming will be ignored<br>✘ any kind of character hate is prohibited  
>✘ <strong>DON'T STEAL MY WORK<strong>


	3. You Again

**T I T L E :** You Again  
><strong><span>F A N D O M <span>:** Vampire Knight  
><strong><span>P A I R I N G <span>:** Kaito Takamiya / Maria Kurenai  
><strong><span>T I M E  S E T T I N G :** This piece is also connected to _A Beast Weeping_, and _Glittering Black Mirrors_. It's set a bit after the two.  
><strong><span>A  N :** This piece was total fun. I think Maria pushed it a little too far for Kaito with her playful banter and he was quite rough. Don't expect her to acknowledge your existence next time, Kaito. LOL! The next Karia one-shot will probably not be connected to these three installments at all and be a bit AU.

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><p><strong>.: <em>You Again<em> :.**

How is it that we keep meeting like this?  
><strong><br>**The snow falls heavy to the ground; my breath is a smooth mist of white. The sun sets the blackened horizon on fire, sending its molten fingers up into the looming clouds, coloring the sky a glorious orange. Is it an accident that she's sitting lonely on that bench, her legs folded neatly beneath her and crossing at the ankle? Is it an accident that I'm walking around the grounds tonight, taking another stroll again?

_Just taking a stroll..._A secret smile crawls along my lips. Her cheeks are a dusky pink, clashing with the pale silver of her hair and the winter flakes hanging like whispers in its strands. Her parasol is lying just as lonely on the opposite side of the bench, snow already collecting to it's dainty lace. The black of her stockings is velvet shadow, swooping and curving to her slender legs, tempting my eyes to seek... a little more.

"You again." She murmurs as I stop before her, my hands fidgeting in my pockets.

"Ditto." I breathe. _What is it about her?_ My eyes fall to the modest dip of her neckline and travel down below her collar bone until the silk begins again. My eyes scrutinize the supple curve of hidden things, things I should have no reason scrutinizing. _Then stop._

"Taking another stroll, vampire hunter?" Her eyes look up at me, two flickering stars amid dusky lashes.

"It appears so, vampire." I deadpan. _She has all the elements of a woman._ My eyes wander onto even more forbidden territory. _Could even a beast truly possess those elements._Her cheeks stain rose red and I realize where my eyes are wandering. I quickly look away, focusing my attention on the fiery sun's descent.

Silence stretches between us as we remain, our eyes on anything but each other. I find myself studying the intricately designed lace of her parasol, but my mind lingers on the distant loneliness in her eyes and the faint downward tilt of her lips. _She misses someone? Or could she still be sore about Zero's rejection?_I bite my tongue at the latter comment, my sarcasm burning the freshly made wound, and I gaze out at the surrounding forest.

"Can I walk with you" Her voice surprises me.

For a moment, I'm unable to respond, my eyes gradually slipping into velvet blue oceans, the hint of shimmering metal crashing like waves. The way she's looking at me, those eyes glinting with moonlight and open sea... _It's happening again…_

My gaze darts away. "I don't fill in for Zero." I drawl, my cold sarcasm sharpening each word to a razor-point. _Why should I even care about filling in for Zero?_ I bite my tongue. _Why does it even bother me at all?_

Her bow lips contort into a bitter frown and those velvet seas become violent tempests. Then, she abruptly looks away, no fiery retort curling her tongue. I scowl at her guarded expression. _What is she thinking? She'd wanted to say something, but she'd stopped…_"I do however; need to escort you back to the Night Class Dorms."

She glances up at me, her eyes flickering with intrigue. The tempests are subsiding. _What is she thinking?_ Her lips then press together, as if deliberating something. _God, what is on her mind?_ My curiosity is driving me mad. _Why should I care what she's thinking? Why do I care?_

"I thought you weren't filling in for Zero." She purrs, tempting my gaze to focus on her again. "You are no vampire sympathizer."

_I'm not moving very fast to get her back to the dorms._ The realization doesn't seem to bother me that much, though. _Troubling..._

I scoff. "Zero doesn't sympathize with your kind. I'm sure you are aware of this."

"Zero is _my kind_, yet you don't view him as a mere beast." She drops to a whisper, her tone prickling and harsh. "Besides, I need no sympathy, vampire or not."

I look at her for a moment, evaluating the slight tension in her jaw, the fierce burning of her eyes. My lips twitch. Something about her words makes me want to move closer to her. "I give no beast sympathy."

She smiles sweetly and her eyes are those glittering blades again, deadly, tender, teasing. "When two predators meet in the night, both with an appetite, I wonder what can happen?"

The wind picks up and I inhale her scent, a smirk snaking its way along my lips. She smells of lace, lilac, and white hot winter. My eyes drift close as I savor her unique perfume. When I open them again, she is staring at me, her hands folded politely in her lap and her hair dancing aimlessly in the breeze. _Such a sweet looking little porcelain doll._My smirk breaks into a devilish grin. "You know, that clever tongue could one day get you into trouble."

She rises, taking her parasol and lightly shaking off the snow before beginning to walking away. "My clever tongue is protected by a pair of fangs."

I chuckle and fall inline beside her. "A weak constitution and still so arrogant…"

She smiles over at me, such a warm and playful smile. "Sympathizing with me, hunter?"

I scoff. "I wouldn't dream of it." _She is a vampire._"Regardless of your exterior, you are a beast at heart."

Her smile turns deadly, the tips of her fangs glimmering against rosy lips. "It takes one to know one."

"Careful with your tone, _vampire_." My eyes darken. _I am nothing like a blood sucking monster._

She cocks an eyebrow, her fingers tightening around the parasol's handle. "What would you do to me,_ vampire hunter_? Such beastly things no doubt..." Her eyes cut into me, sparkling knives, _but I can smell an edge of fear on her_. "You and I are no different in our lust for the hunt. What makes you beastly, is the same facet of a vampire's appetite that paints us as monsters."

My lips peel back from my teeth threateningly. "What facet is that, _vampire_?"

She averts her wavering glare, her breaths quickening. "You are a wolf in sheep's clothing. But, what makes your kind so dangerous... is that you've acquired a taste for the wolves themselves."

The declaration stuns me. I hadn't been expecting it. Her eyes find my face again and I do not meet her gaze this time. Our silence stretches on for an eternity. _You've acquired a taste for the wolves themselves... I protect my kind by killing hers, but I am nothing like her. She is... _

"What do you dream?" Her soft voice startles me out of my thoughts.

I look over at her, my eyes wide with confusion. _What kind of question is that to ask a total stranger? Yet... can I speak of asking such bizarre things of strangers?_ For the last five months, I've slowly found myself watching her, hating her... and yearning to be next to her. _Is it wise for you to play this kind of game with a vampire?_ Her voice echoes in my mind, fiery... _hungry_. The sudden thought of her tears that night in the face of Zero makes my hands clench. _No!_I shake my head violently, trying to shake off that sudden feeling.

"Kaito?" She speaks the name almost timidly, and I find my attention being drawn to her lips, _doll-like lips._

She'd spoken my...

My breath hitches and all the blood rushes into my heart, drowning any rational thought. _No... no... no!_ I abruptly jerk my head forward, my bewildered stare hardening and my stride quickening. _Is it wise for a vampire to invite such a game?_My earlier words of the previous days are a pounding hammer against my skull, mocking me. They seep into my blood, coursing through me like a whispered curse.

"I have upset you." She murmurs from behind me.

I stop without thought, instantly berating myself. "No." I ground out a little too quickly.

She halts beside me, her hair tumbling over her shoulders as she peers up at my hateful glare. "You lie."

_Why do I keep finding myself in her company?_My feet are moving again and I roughly shove past her, almost sending her crashing into the snow. Despite instantly regretting my rude gesture, I don't look back. I keep my eyes fixed on the path ahead and I don't even slow down to see if she is following.

_Almost to the Night Class Dorms._

The thought stings me as I listen to the gentle crunch of the snow trailing after me. _I'd hurt her... I shouldn't_—a vicious roar tears through my mind like a deafening crack of thunder. _She is a beast, a wolf in sheep's clothing. I am the hunter that kills her kind._

You've acquired a taste for the wolves themselves...

Her words ring eternal. _What makes you beastly, is the same facet of a vampire's appetite that paints us as monsters._

Shut up!

I suddenly throw a nasty scowl at her. Her feet instantly stumble to a halt, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushing. I about face, my own eyes menacing. "I doubt you need me to escort you any further to the dorms. If I catch you out like this again, I won't be so lenient." I brush past her before she can reply.

I won't let this happen again.

ஐ

❤ i do hope you've enjoyed reading  
>❤ comments &amp; constructive critiquing are love<br>❤ kaito/maria is love, too X3  
>✘ flaming will be ignored<br>✘ any kind of character hate is prohibited  
>✘ <strong>DON'T STEAL MY WORK<strong>


	4. Right Before Your Eyes (M Rating)

✿ **Pairing** → Kaito•Maria

✿ **Word Count** → 2,745

✿ **Summary** → Tears. The first one falls—a shimmering crystal—and shatters on the wood floor. The second one drips from her lips, suspending him for the briefest moment, in utter misery. His heart floats in that sea of regret, a lost and desperate vessel.

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><p>【Right Before Your Eyes】<p>

Rivulets of silken moon hair are splayed across his chest and fairy-dusted bangs tickle his neck. The rain outside is finally subsiding and the cold air of his bedroom is comforting. Lightning flashes, illuminating the sheen of sweat on her tiny shoulders.

"Still with me, Kurenai?" he smirks. "I know my sex can be pretty amazing."

Her fingernails skim along his stomach. "Your skin smells like leather and sunlight." She nuzzles him innocently, her tongue flicking across his jawline.

His hand presses into her back out of surprise, forcing her chest up against his side. Her flesh is warm, soft. His heart stutters against his ribcage, hungry, excited. The feel of her smooth skin creating that hot friction reignites the fire in his veins and he inhales slowly.

She leans up on her elbow, her hair creating a curtain around his face. "What's wrong?"

He rolls his eyes, suddenly wanting to be anywhere but trapped in her arms. "Nothing," he mumbles, turning his face away.

Her cerulean orbs pierce into him, fixated on his expression. "Liar."

_Intrusive and observant._ A combination that's starting to piss him off.

He glares at her from the corner of his eye. "You really are nosy, you know that?"

Her lips fall open in shock.

Whether she has something to say or not, he doesn't allow her the time. Roughly shoving her away, he rips the sheets off his legs and gets out of bed. The ground is cold to his feet, but he doesn't care. If only he could leave, get anywhere to be away from her... but they are in his apartment. It's not like he can run to a safe haven when this place is his haven.

_Not with a blood-sucker in it, it's not. Why the hell did I even bring her here? Why did I...? _He growls in frustration._  
><em>

"Kaito?"

His body stiffens at the sound of his name. Her voice is meek, a tender chime of winter crystals.

"What's... wrong?" she asks again.

_There are tears in her voice._

A part of him wants to turn around and take her in his arms, but something else-a deep-seeded rage-explodes in him. "You're what's wrong. You and all your kind. I can't believe that I was bewitched by you. You are the reason that we hunters are forced into this life! You are the reason-!"

_What am I doing?_

She hasn't moved. He can smell her skin all over him-lilac. The memory of her taste floods his mouth, sharp winter fire. He craves it again. _No!_ _She is a beast! Why did I even bring her here? Why have I...?_

_'If either of us are ever turned, we make a vow to hunt down the other.' _Taito's voice echoes in his mind.

_Brother... monster... I-_

He jerks suddenly, as if evading an attack, and almost knocks Maria off her feet. She's looking up at him, her eyes glittering moons. His jaw tightens, but he can't tear his gaze away. The tears are suspended in her lashes and her lips are trembling. Hurt, worry, and curiosity paint his fear against a wall.

He grabs her shoulders in a bruising grip, his fear screaming. "It was your kind that killed my brother."

His lethal whisper hangs in the air, suffocating.

"It was you... that forced me to..."

She drops her head, her bangs veiling her eyes. "You're hurting me." Gentle, lingering, her words move over him. "I can't imagine what it must be like to... Kaito..."

Silence stretches around them, an invisible rubber-band chapping their skin, constricting.

"It's not your fault."

He's caught off guard. "What?"

Peering up at him, she squares her tiny shoulders and holds his glare. "Your hatred for my kind is only skin deep, your armor protecting your eyes from what's really lurking in your reflection." Her gaze softens. "Who you really hate... _is yourself_."

_'I want it to be you, Kaito. Please, don't hesitate, okay?'_ Those words. That expression. Hidden memories...

The room is suddenly very cold, his senses acutely aware of the prickly emptiness that is ripping his stomach through the floor. A heat rises from somewhere deep inside, uncomfortable and lurching. It spreads along his flesh, sweltering and humid. His mouth is dry. His eyes are so wide that the flickering lightning hurts.

_Your hatred is only skin deep..._

Her eyes are shimmering pools of metal as she watches him, no animosity, no hatred. Just a tender concern that makes him want to claw her face away. _Why should she feel pity for me? Pity?!_ His fingernails are piercing her flesh. She remains still, her expression never changing, her breaths calm and steady... her eyes... receptive and tender.

"Don't pity me, _vampire_." The word is a venomous hiss.

Her stare is penetrating. "I do not pity you..." Her lips tremble. "I..." She drops her eyes to his chest. "I love you."

The statement slams into him like a runaway train, his heart quaking in his chest and his mind reeling. _Why? What is this..._ His eyes fall closed as an electric warmth sings through his veins. Her words are a twinkling mantra in his head, _precious_. _No... Witch. Monster! It was you! Vampires!_

_'Hey Kaito! Do you ever wonder if vampires are just as lonely and fucked up as we are?'_

_Taito...  
><em>

She's shivering in his hold, her silver hair spilling over her chest and her arms tightly at her sides. Her nakedness suddenly dawns upon him and he jerks his hands away as if burned. She never moves, her bangs hanging before her eyes and her breaths nonexistent.

He stares at the fresh crescent wounds on her arms. _I did... that._ Shame-unavoidable and unwanted-worms its way under his skin. Repulsive. _Invasive._

_Who you really hate... is yourself._

"Maria..." his voice is low, unsure.

No movement.

He takes a deep breath, trying to ease his thundering heart. _Why is all this happening? Why now?_ "Maria... I'm..."

He can't say it.

The shame is a prolonged sting, tainting his mouth with bitter self-loathing. "Damn it."

"Why do we have to be this way?" Her question surprises him, but she still never moves. "Why do we have to hate one another so much? Why are love and hate so close? It's... it hurts."

_Tears._ The first one falls-a shimmering crystal-and shatters on the wood floor. The second one drips from her lips, suspending him, for the briefest moment, in utter misery. His heart floats in that sea of regret, a lost and desperate vessel.

_It's not your fault._

Kaito's breaths are ragged and his heart is hammering. After all the years of tucking away this anguish, this guilt-he stands here now, stripped of any armor to protect himself from the truth... with a person's heart now hanging in the balance. _Not a monster, a person._

He'd been blinded by his own fear, a fear that nurtured the cultural hatred of his kindred. _All vampires are pitiful monsters, _the hunters would say. But now, standing before him, this girl does not appear as any monster, nor pitiful. The tears that glitter down her cheeks are raw, yet they reveal no weakness.

This girl-this... _young woman_ has shown more courage than most of his own kin. He could have hurt her. The sudden realization stabs him like a jagged blade, twisting.

She stood up to him, a frail and sickly vampire. Courage. Tenderness. She held him tonight with such abandon, there was no separation, no rules. What had he felt?

_That's not even a question,_ his mind hisses. _You don't deserve her kindness._

But... he wants her... again. Just to feel her warmth, to look into her ocean eyes. He... _needs_ her.

Moving quickly, his arms are around her before he even closes the distance between them, her slight frame crushing against his chest. The wetness of her tears cool against his skin and he clings to her, his body trembling.

"Maria..." her name is a guttural whisper.

She does not respond, her arms remaining at her sides.

"Maria... I'm-I'm sorry."

_Silence._

The tempo of his own heartbeat is deafening. He wants to fill the silence, but he fears breaking it at all. _Please, say something._

"I... already told you," she murmurs very softly. "It's not your fault."

A profound sigh exits his lips and he holds onto her, his hands burying themselves in her hair. She won't lift her face. He wants to see her eyes. _Please, look at me._ "Maria... why are you so kind to me?" The question is a difficult one.

He feels her smile against him. "Because, you aren't a bad person." She finally looks up at him, her lashes fluttering. "From the moment I saw you, I knew exactly who you are."

The confession leaves him breathless and he's leaning forward, his fingertips smoothing away aimless strands of silver. She corresponds to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and reaching up to kiss his chin. He nuzzles her cheeks, slowly removing any lingering tears.

"Fate is a strange thing." he whispers.

She giggles, her breath tickling his neck. "Fate knows us better than we know ourselves."

Pulling away, he stares at her, suddenly curious. There is a hint of crimson to her eyes. The initial realization of this doesn't offend him, which is new. In fact, he is intrigued.

"Bite me."

The demand shocks her. "What?"

He smirks. "You heard me."

Her cheeks flush rose petal pink. "I..."

Taking her chin in his hand, he kisses her, tracing his tongue along her lips.

She's shivering, her fingers digging into his hair. "Kaito..."

"Do I have to say it again, doll?"

Her expression darkens. "Don't call me that."

"It's okay if you're scared." He grins.

Something passes through her eyes and she purses her lips. "You're... too tall." Her blush deepens.

"Should I get on my knees for you, Kurenai?" He winks, allowing his gaze to rove over her naked skin.

She quickly averts her eyes. "Stop teasing me."

He ducks down and licks her neck, agonizingly slow.

She gasps.

"Are you sure you want me to stop, doll-face?" He breathes against her ear.

"Kaito!" She moans, and he's almost certain he hears a pout in her voice.

"I seem to remember a certain someone whimpering my name as I teased them just a while ago." He pulls back to see her face.

She's biting her lower lip, her slender fangs almost hidden in the rosy flesh. He presses his forehead to hers, his expression turning serious. "Maria..."

_I'm sorry._

She touches his lips with her fingertips, her eyes half-lidded and endless. "If you want me to bite you, hunter, then you need to get on your knees." A smirk pulls at the corners of her mouth.

He steps back, an eyebrow raising. "Hmmm... feisty. I knew you were really a bad girl. You act all cute and innocent." He reaches out and skims his index finger down the valley of her chest. "You never fooled me."

Her hands settle on her hips. "On your knees."

He stares at her for a moment, unable to help himself. She's a walking contradiction, as fragile as thin glass with a soul of fire. Desire floods his veins, echoing through every fiber of his being. He'd never experienced this level of want before... _not until her._

Finally obeying her command, he lowers himself to the floor, his head tilting up slightly to look her in the eye. Her hair creates a shadow around her face, defining her slight nose and softly pointed chin. Her eyes glow, blood red eclipsing over blue silver.

His instinct tells him to attack, but his heart holds his body in check. She walks up to him, her slim legs brushing one another in the most distracting way. He scoffs, shaking his head at her. "You're as bad as me."

She feigns innocence as she stops before him. "As bad as you? What's that supposed to mean?"

He drags his eyes over her body. "You know damn well, doll-face."

She scowls playfully and suddenly pushes him back. Taken by surprise, he falls on his side and before he can collect himself, Maria is on top of him, pinning him to the ground. His eyes are wide as he stares up at her and she giggles, a delightful wintry sound.

Bending down, she kisses his jawline. "I said, don't call me that."

If she weren't straddling him like this, he could have formulated some kind of witty comeback, but his mind simply shut down and his hands reached for her. She allows him to pull her down to his lips, the kiss deepening until both of them are dizzy and breathless. When she opens her eyes, their silver oceans have given way to swirling red waves.

"Are you gonna bite me or not, Kurenai?" His voice is husky and excited.

She smiles faintly, her fangs reflecting the glimmer of the lightning outside. "You sure are demanding. I wonder... has this always been a dark fantasy for you, hunter?"

He grips her hips and she gasps. "Don't tell me you're losing your nerve, vampire."

Setting her jaw, she focuses her gaze into him. He can feel her sharpened energy-delicious and exhilarating-as it moves through his eyes. Words that need no breath to carry them. Thoughts understood through instinct. Never had he experienced this kind of connection before. It is both frightening and spellbinding.

Arching up to her, he brushes his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. She combs her fingers through his hair and opens her mouth, allowing her fangs to graze his lower lip. His hold tightens on her hips as he explores her lethal canines, moist tongue whispering over razor points.

She closes her eyes and eases his head back to the cold wood floor. So much is passing through her eyes, but there is one thing in particular that catches his attention.

Reaching up to caress her face, he smiles. "You're the one thing that's turned my world upside down... and you're the first person to ever break through my defenses."

"Person?" She murmurs.

"Yes," he replies. "Such a tiny little thing. I never expected you... to be so..." His breath is shaky. "You changed everything."

Her lips toy with a unique kind of smile. It's almost childlike. He traces her mouth with his fingers and she leans into him, her eyes falling closed. When she opens them again, there is a new found awareness, a certainty. He allows his eyes to fall shut, the smile never leaving his face.

Seconds later, he can feel her hair tumbling over his shoulder and her breaths ghosting along his skin. Thunder rumbles in the distance and he succumbs to a strange and new kind of comfort. It tingles within his chest, sending his heart flying.

The sensation of her feline-like fangs piercing his flesh ignites something inside him and he pulls her closer_. Please, just a little closer. She's here with me. **Mine.**_

Her hands skim along his body, leaving fire in their wake.

"Maria," he growls.

Only hours ago, he'd reacted to her unconsciously, answering only to the call of his carnal desire. Hours ago, he'd refused to acknowledge what has been growing inside him.

"I love you."

The words soar from his lips without thought, up into the heavens and beyond. Those words... set him free.

Now, he memorizes everything, the weight of her body, the feel of her skin, the beat of her precious heart. This time, he won't allow these seconds to slip away.

As she pulls back, Kaito is surprised to find her lips absent of red. "You are very strange." he chuckles.

She pouts, her dainty brows scrunching together. "Despite most of my kind, I have proper etiquette."

_Playful little minx._

"Hmmm..." He muses, as if distracted; then, swiftly flips her onto her back and pins her arms to the floor. "Well, I don't... _and I'm hungry_."


	5. Self (Poem)

✿ **Pairing** → Kaito•Maria

✿ **Word Count** → 82

* * *

><p>【Self】<p>

She shimmered, a glittering silver star—

She was so free, a glaring reminder.

I hated her… in the beginning.

Her freedom was so… intoxicating.

Unattainable.

How could she be so free?

Desperation.

I needed her freedom.

I hated her freedom.

Moonlight and porcelain.

Pink and rosy and delicate.

Breaking her… would be so easy.

Jealousy.

Bigotry.

Enmity—

_Self_… enmity.

She was so strong,

Frail body and steely glare…

Determined.

I hated her… for her resolve.

Mirror—_reflection—_**envy****_._**

I loved her… for her freedom.


	6. Whispering (Poem)

✿ **Pairing** → Kaito•Maria

✿ **Word Count** → 116

* * *

><p>【Whispering】<p>

Moonlight veiled by eventide silk—

She was waiting, quiet, doll-like,

Her silver hair caught in the wind

And her ocean eyes distant.

Searching.

A vision of fairytale grandeur—

She looked as if some princess,

Her wandering gaze longing and wistful,

Those delicate digits clenching,

White-knuckled at her sides.

The words, ugly scars on her expression,

Sharp,

Indifferent…

My words—**my indifference**, sharp and hateful.

It burns her, searing her supple cheeks,

I'd scarred that rosy flesh, that tender heart.

I can hear it, a steady drumming in the night,

A whispering song of confusion and hurt.

I was wrong.

Sweet doll…

Fairytale angel…

_I was wrong._


End file.
